Politicizing Pain<br>by U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, M.D. (R-TX)

K.K. Forss does not
claim medical marijuana solves all his problems. His pain from a ruptured disc in his neck is debilitating. He
is unable to go to work or to the
First Baptist
Church he used to attend because of the pain and muscle spasms. Taxpayers through Medicare spend over $18,000 a year on his various
medications. Half of those drugs are
strong narcotics. The other half
address the various side-effects brought on by the first half, such as nausea,
heartburn, heart palpitations, difficulty sleeping, and muscle spasms.

No, marijuana would
not completely address all his pain, but it made a tremendous difference in the
quality of his life when he tried it for over a year. It helped him regain 38 pounds he had lost. It
calmed his muscle spasms and helped him sleep. In short, it alleviated many side
effects and greatly reduced his need for other expensive medications. Mr. Forss estimates that being allowed to use medical marijuana would
save taxpayers at least $12,000 a year in medications he would no longer need. He would also be able to work occasionally and attend some church
services.

Scientists at the
University of California at Davis
recently completed a study that backs up Mr. Forss’s experience, finding that
cannabis demonstrates significant relief of neuropathic pain. Many in government call for more studies while people like K.K. Forss
suffer. More studies will not change
what many patients already know, and that is for some, medical marijuana helps
their pain. But over-reaching
government gets in the way.

K.K. Forss lived in
constant fear of federal and state officials so he eventually stopped taking
medical marijuana and switched to his more rigorous and expensive pill regimen. Presently, twelve states have passed legislation allowing marijuana,
under certain conditions, to be prescribed legally by doctors for patients who
could benefit from it. K.K. Forss
lives in Minnesota, where it is not yet legal. However,
even if it is legalized by the state, Mr. Forss will still have plenty to fear
from the Federal government, as cannabis dispensaries and clinics that operate
under these state laws are still under fire from the Drug Enforcement
Administration.

In other words, the
federal government sees fit to use our tax dollars to raid state sanctioned
healthcare clinics, to imprison and fine patients and operators, in order to
compel people like Mr. Forss to be bedridden and overmedicated at great taxpayer
expense every single day.

The Federal
government should recognize that states have the authority to decide these
issues. This affords all states the
opportunity to see which policies are most beneficial. As a Congressman and a
physician, I strongly advocate that healthcare decisions should be made by
doctors and patients, not politicians or federal agents, which is why I am an
original co-sponsor of the recently introduced “Medical Marijuana Patient
Protection Act” which would bar the Federal government from intervening in
such doctor/patient relationships that violate no state law.

The bottom line is
that K.K. Forss should be treated as a free American. Mr. Forss is one of many who would like to use marijuana medicinally
because it helps him. Politicians
and bureaucrats have no right to interfere.source